First Time Audiobook in a Pro studio?

The world of audiobook narration has changed immensely even over the past three or four years - and a recent email from a colleague highlighted something I hadn't previously considered. There are an increasing number of established professional narrators who record audiobooks remotely - so despite having a significant number of reads to their credit, plus Earphone awards, Audie nominations and awards - and other significant gongs, there are an increasing number who have only ever recorded remotely. Being invited to record in a professional recording studio for the first time is pretty daunting - but perhaps even more so if you are used to flying solo. I know it was for me!

The first audiobooks I narrated were recorded in a pro studio in the early 1980s! Technology has brought about huge changes in recent years, so I feel that a thirty-year-old experience barely counts. Of the fifty plus audiobooks that I have recorded in recent years, only three have been recorded in a professional studio with another person on the other side of the glass - and frankly, I was a bag of nerves on each and every occasion.

Why? Why is it so daunting to work in a pro studio for the first time - even when you have a shed load of audiobook experience? What did I learn from the experience? What is good etiquette in a pro studio?

My first trip in recent years into a pro studio, was to read a rather complex historical novel about Queen Anne. It was long - the total running time was estimated at 12.5 hours - the studio was booked for three and a half days, so the first pressure I felt was definitely time related. Working on my own in my own space, as long as I meet the deadline, I can work at my own pace, take breaks when I want and if it's not flowing - then I can take a break, get my act together and then start again an hour later. I can pace myself - so I would probably spread a 12.5 hour book over perhaps three weeks rather than three days. Alongside concerns that I would miss the target altogether and not finish on time, I was also concerned that my voice would run out of steam when recording for seven hours a day for more than three consecutive days.

Anyone who knows me knows that I can talk for England - and I used to rehearse for six or seven hours a day, then do an evening performance - but that is a long time ago - and I was really not sure how stable my voice would be. And of course being nervous isn't great for the voice - things tighten up and that can really put a strain of the vocal chords. Would my energy levels drop? Would I start sounding tired and husky? Would I be able to concentrate for that long at a stretch. These were real worries for me - and for a few days before I started, I really was having 'narrator nightmares'.

An added pressure was that it was very dense novel with lots of characters - and all were real people; there were lots of facts to absorb that would have an effect on the performance, this King had a stammer; this Prince had a thick German accent - and so on. Added to this, the two princesses, Anne and her sister Mary were children at the beginning of the novel - and aged throughout. The book also contained excerpts from Anne's diary and many of her letters - written in the style of the period - and printed in italics - so it wasn't the easiest of reads.

​It was obvious that thorough preparation was even more important than usual. I always read any MS at least twice before I start narrating, but things do crop up during a read that need double checking, and I knew that it would hold everything up if I had to go searching for things online as I went along. So my prep was very thorough and I made a lot of notes. I was very lucky in that I was able to contact the producer I was working with in advance and we exchanged several emails and chatted about the style of the book and how various characters developed and might sound ... how much of a stammer - how much of a German accent and so on.

I was also concerned that I would be reading from a print copy of the MS. Normally I would be reading a digital version from my tablet - which would be annotated and marked up as needed. I don't actually highlight different characters in different colours which I know some narrators do, as I find it distracting, but I do make little notes about voices and accents on my tablet as I prep. But reading from a hard copy unwieldy in comparison and I was concerned about paper rustles, awkward page breaks and so on.

Once I had got over the first day, and met the required number of finished hours without any difficulty - and without my voice or energy levels disappearing or noticeably changing, I felt a lot happier and more confident going into the second day - and I am happy to say that I finished narrating thirty minutes ahead of time and it all went very smoothly thanks to lovely folk at White House Sound in Leicestershire.

So what did I learn along the way ... and what are my tips for anyone heading into a studio for the first time?​In the days before going to the studio

Proper preparation prevents a poor performance! I really can't emphasise enough how important preparation is for every read ... but it's even more important that you go into a pro studio with a thorough knowledge of the entire book; with any strange names, unfamiliar words and pronunciations, particularly any foreign words firmly researched and ready for use when needed. ​

Get the character voices clear before you start and make a short audio clip of each voice in advance. I normally record a short MP3 clip of every character as I go along when I am working remotely so that if I forget what someone sounds like, especially if they disappear for several chapters, I can easily find them again without having the search through the master recording. Collecting character voice clips as you go is not an option in a pro studio, so you need to make decisions before you start recording and keep your own record of those voices. I recorded a short sample of all of the main characters onto my tablet - so that I could refer to them if the need arose during the recording.

If a page break falls at an awkward point on a print copy, write out the first line of the following page at the bottom of the previous one. I found this a huge help. It means you can break to turn the page at a sensible point rather than mid phrase.

Try to keep as much as possible as familiar as possible. We all prepare or mark up our texts in different ways - and I wouldn't advise changing your normal way of doing it just because you're in a pro studio. You don't want to suddenly be distracted by a whole load of new hieroglyphs on your text that you're not familiar with. Keeping everything as 'normal' as possible will lessen your feeling of being a stranger in a strange land.

Hydrate - and for a few days in advance, not just when in the studio. You need to start your hydration a couple of days before you start recording. It's no good grabbing a glass or two of water an hour before you sit down at the mic. Because I am recording almost every day, my hydration levels are normally pretty good - and I usually drink 1.5 to 2 litres of water a day. I find that room temperature water is best. Cold water tightens the vocal folds too much and changes my voice.

Get enough sleep. You really can't burn the candle at both ends when you're working. A good sleep pattern over the few days before you head to the studio will ensure you and your voice are not tired.

Go shopping for your lunch/es and plan ahead. You may not want to go shopping during your lunch break and there may not be anywhere you want to eat. Personally I prefer to stay focused, so the last thing I want to do is to head into a cafe or to a supermarket queue.

Because pro studios punch in edits - you have to wear headphones. The way punch and roll / rock and roll works is that the engineer / producer / director is following the text while listening to you. Therefore they will stop you if you make an error, or if something sounds odd. They then roll back a few seconds to a point before the bit that is going to be over recorded, and you can then hear that playing through your headphones - and you then start recording again - recording over the original audio and over the error - making a seamless edit. It's important that you use the same tone, pitch, energy level and so on, which is why you need to hear the previous few seconds. Anyone using punch and roll for themselves will be familiar with this process.

Take your own headphones! I have a small head and studio headphones are invariably too big for me and flop around and fall down and are generally uncomfortable - so I always take my own. I am also familiar with how I sound through my own cans - and a different sound through a different make of headphones can be off putting.

Remember to keep hydrated. You'll need a supply of water (room temperature works best for me). I also drink tea (Black Earl Grey with honey when I am recording as I find milk alters my voice), and find coconut water good to stop mouth noise. I think it's slight oiliness helps keep everything running smoothly.

Get to the studio at least half an before you're due to start recording. This will give you time to meet and get to know the team you're working with. Then give yourself some quiet time before you begin. Do some relaxation exercises - and a vocal warm up - nothing too strenuous, just enough to warm up your vocal folds and get everything feeling aligned and comfortable.

Take a wrap or cardigan with you. I don't like working in an overheated studio personally. I prefer to feel slightly cold, so will turn off radiators and lower the temperature slightly. However, I do find that when sitting still (and sitting still is a necessity) my back gets cold and can stiffen up - so a shawl or cardigan draped over my shoulders and the back of my neck helps.

To avoid tummy rumbles have some high protein, high energy snacks with you. I am a terrible tummy-rumbler. I rumble when I am hungry and again after I have eaten if I leave too long a gap between nibbles. I always have a high protein snack in the booth which I nibble at regular intervals to prevent rumbles - and I also take a tub of chopped celery in with me as it helps keep the juices flowing and avoids a sticky mouth.

Lip balm is an essential. Speaking of mouth noise, alongside hydration, celery - and a lot of people swear by green apples for mouth noise, lip balm is an absolute must. Vaseline works best for me - it's not too gloopy and slithery but is very effective at preventing lip smacks.

Don't touch the mic! You may be used to tweaking everything when you're working solo - but in a studio it is not your job! The engineer / director will set everything up for you and you really mustn't change things. Your relationship to the mic must be constant and consistent - so if at any point you get up and move around try to do it without moving anything. If you accidentally knock or move the mic then tell the engineer / director - and they will come and re-set everything.

Give a warning if you're going to clear your throat or blow your nose. The person on the other side of the glass from you will be listening through headphones at a fairly high level - and if you need to clear your throat or blow your nose, do warn them. Think about it ... do they really want to hear that at high volume in their ears. Yuk!

Don't wear too much scent / aftershave and never spray yourself with perfume in the booth. There will be someone else using that studio after you ... and they may have allergies - or just not like your favourite pong. Perfume can really irritate the throat, so even if the next narrator in the booth loves 'Eau de Voix' your scent it might have a detrimental effect on their voice.

Remember you're hired to read the book not produce or direct the read! You're part of the team for sure and your contribution is valued - but you're not there to argue the point - particularly about anything technical. And if there is a director giving you direction then it is your job to follow it. Communication is very important, talk to the people you're working with - get to know them, discuss the options with them, by all means, but keep the chatter and your opinions to the minimum. Studio time is expensive.

If you're not happy about something ... don't suffer in silence. If the volume level coming through your headphones isn't comfortable, if you're too hot, too cold, need to go to the loo, need to cough, need to stretch - if you're not happy with how you read a particular sentence, if the phrasing or accent doesn't sound quite right, then speak up! Use your instincts - they're probably right.

Be professional and behave professionally. You want to be invited back don't you? Be friendly but not overly familiar - and definitely don't spend the lunch break bragging or bitching. ​

Relax - Everyone is on your side wants to create the best audiobook possible.

​Good luck - and have fun!

PS ... if you have any tips or know something I've missed out, please add in 'comments'. Or PM me and I will add your thoughts and give you a credit!

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About me

P​hoto Credit: Paul Haynes​

I've gleaned quite a lot of knowledge over the years, knowledge that might be of interest to others, especially authors, actors and voice actors. Because I read so much, for pleasure and professionally, I also occasionally write reviews of what I read - so they're here too.